Mike Evans is about to look strange in a different uniform, and Buccaneers fans are going to feel it tonight.
The longtime Tampa Bay star left after 12 seasons in free agency back in March, signing with the San Francisco 49ers. For a fan base that spent more than a decade watching him pile up milestones, the move hit hard. Evans became one of the defining players in franchise history, and now his first game for another team is finally here.
During his run in Tampa Bay, Evans finished 10th all time in touchdown receptions and 21st in receiving yards. He also set the record for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to begin a career, then added another layer to the achievement by tying Jerry Rice’s mark for most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons overall at 11.
That kind of production doesn’t fade just because the jersey changes. Evans is still the same future Hall of Fame receiver, and Bucs fans will get their first look at him in San Francisco when the 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night in Melbourne, Australia.
It’ll be his debut for the 49ers, and it comes with a national audience watching. Evans is expected to serve as San Francisco’s WR1, and he should see plenty of targets in a game that could turn into a shootout with offensive guru Kyle Shanahan calling the plays.
For Tampa Bay fans, that means the familiar stuff could show up again: the big catches, the touchdowns, the contested grabs that made Evans such a constant problem for defensive backs. The difference now is simple and painful. Those moments won’t belong to the Buccaneers anymore.
The cannons won’t be firing for Evans now. And for the first time, Bucs fans have to watch him celebrate those plays in red and gold instead of red and pewter.
In Other News...
Emeka Egbuka Is Already Shaping More Than The Bucs Offense
Emeka Egbuka has quickly become part of the Buccaneers everyday conversation for reasons that go well beyond what he does on the field. In his second NFL season, the wide receiver has leaned into a Christian faith that he says anchors his life, and that foundation has carried into the Tampa Bay locker room, where he has taken part in Bible studies with teammates and found support from players and staff who have helped shape his spiritual growth.
For Egbuka, faith is not just a personal detail tucked away from football, but something he says gives him hope, strength and peace in a demanding profession. That kind of presence can matter in a locker room, especially for a young player still growing into his role, and it helps explain why his influence around the Bucs has started to stretch well beyond the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Receivers Just Added A Wild New Twist To Franchise History
The Buccaneers receiver room found itself in an unusual bit of franchise history this season, with Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka both turning in the kind of scoring sequence that stands out even in a league that has seen nearly everything. Sports Illustrated recognized the pair as co-winners of its 2025 Octopus of the Year award, honoring players who score a touchdown and then follow it with two successful two-point conversions in the same game.
Godwin did it against the Falcons in Week 15, while Egbuka pulled off the same rare sequence earlier against the Seahawks. Together, their efforts accounted for two of the three such scoring feats in the NFL this season, a quirky distinction that speaks to just how impactful Tampa Bays pass catchers were when the offense needed points in tight spots. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Bigger Ayden Garnes Question Than Expected
Ayden Garnes went from undrafted rookie to one of the more intriguing names in Buccaneers camp almost as soon as the pads came on. He flashed in training camp, then backed it up in the preseason with an interception returned for a touchdown in the opener, the kind of play that gets a player noticed quickly in Tampa Bay. By the time the roster was trimmed, he had earned a place on the 53-man roster and looked like a backup corner with a real chance to push for more.
Now the question around Garnes is no longer whether he belongs in the conversation, but how soon the Buccaneers might need him to be more than depth. A player who impressed enough to make the team after entering as an undrafted rookie naturally carries a different kind of intrigue once the season begins, especially at a position where opportunity can appear fast. For Tampa Bay, Garnes has already gone from camp story to rostered defender, and the next step may be just as revealing. [Read more 🡒]